The newly renovated Wald Center for Community Health and Research re-opened on May 1. The updated space now houses the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing’s Center for Community Programs, Innovation, and Scholarship (COMPASS) and includes study, conference, and training rooms, and spaces for clinical exams, research visits, assessment, phlebotomy, and more.
Founded in 1994, the Wald Center was the first JHSON faculty directed service-learning program site in East Baltimore. It was originally known as the Lillian D. Wald Community Nursing Center and was situated in East Baltimore’s Rutland Center. Now at 901 North Broadway, the Wald Center is one of the few health programs in Baltimore City to provide nearly barrier-free health promotion services, at no charge, to uninsured or underinsured residents with low incomes.
“The Wald Center has been a lifesaving resource for members of the East Baltimore community since its founding,” explains Professor Hae-Ra Han, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, associate dean for community programs and initiatives. “We are committed to improving health of our residents, and we are proud that the Wald Center is located right in the heart of our community.”
Inside the upgraded spaces, the Wald Center will continue to provide health promotion services including seasonal vaccinations, health assessments and referrals, health education, and more. There will also be opportunities for student learning, faculty practice, research and scholarship, and public health nursing interventions in partnership with community-based organizations.
COMPASS seeks to create sustainable models for improving the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations in Maryland. The center’s nurse-led programs and initiatives promote community health and advance nursing through alliances with residents, community-based organizations, business leaders, and health care organizations.
To learn more about the Wald Center and community initiatives at JHSON, visit https://nursing.jhu.edu/excellence/community/center-community-innovation-scholarship.html.